Saturday, July 20, 2013

Sending out a press release is an
excellent way to generate free publicity for your small business.
Small businesses can send information to reporters and media people,
who then write or report about the business.

How can you ensure that your press
release is eye-catching enough for a reporter to open it, read it,
and report about it?

1. Do your research. Before sending a
press release, invest some time in

reviewing various writers' or
producers' work. Find those who cover topics relevant to your
business. That way, you can narrow down your audience to people who
are interested in your line of business, thus increasing the
likelihood of free P.R.

2. Choose the right style. Your
research can also help you choose a writing style. Try to mirror the
writer's typical style of presenting content (e.g., top ten lists,
question and answers, or research-oriented). The writer will find
your article more pertinent to his/her own work if it feels familiar.

3. Spice up your writing. Use action
verbs, particularly in the headline, to attract more attention. The
words you use should conjure up images of excitement and motion.
Some examples: trigger, navigate, urge. Use your computer's
thesaurus setting to inspire your writing.

4. Find an angle. Think of an
interesting way to present your story. Instead of simply stating
your business's focus, highlight something new. You can write about
how people use your business, or how you've changed the way certain
business is done.

5. Incorporate the five W's. Be clear
about why your business is newsworthy. Answer the five basic
questions: who, what, when, where, and why. This will tie in with
your angle (see item #4).

6. Include important details. Write
the date, and the city in which your business is located. Briefly
describe your business, and add in your contact information.

Saturday, July 13, 2013

According to a new book,
"The Power of Pull: How Small Moves, Smartly Made, Can Set Big
Things in Motion," the old methods of doing business are no
longer effective.

The book's authors emphasize how the
"power of pull" is improved by social networking. They
define that power as, "The ability to draw out people and
resources as needed to address opportunities and challenges."
With the improved access to people and resources afforded by social
media, it's easier for workers to succeed.

How do social media affect business
dealings?

- Change occurs quickly, so top-down
planning is not as efficient. Managers have to be aware of
information coming from all different sources, including competitors
who work in the same field. They have to adjust strategy in
accordance with the newly-acquired information.

- The internet allows people to create
connections that were never before possible. People living on
different continents can now collaborate on ventures even if they
have never met in person.

- Meeting new people can provide
workers with new information about their lines of business.
Knowledge that used to come from stable sources, such as newspapers,
now streams in via Twitter and other social sites. Business people
can use social networking to acquire information that helps them to
achieve.

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Any experienced business owner will tell you that successfully running a business takes not only a lot of time, skill, and effort, but a lot of resources as well.

Do a quick search online, and you'll typically find a ton of resources specifically for smaller businesses, and many of them are for free. But, as you go about growing and developing your business, you may not have the time to sift out the good resources for the bad ones. This site will help you get there.

To start you off, here is a collection of great, free resources for small and home-based business owners: